El Culo de la Leona (The Lioness Butt)

You're standing before one of Girona's most beloved and whimsical traditions, gazing up at a small Romanesque stone lioness that has captured hearts and sparked laughter for centuries. This charming sculpture, officially known as the Lioness of Girona but affectionately called "El Culo de la Leona" by locals, clings to a column on the facade of the church of Sant Feliu, her hindquarters prominently displayed at just the right height for visitors to reach. Dating back to the twelfth century, this modest piece of Romanesque art was originally carved as a decorative element for the church, representing strength and vigilance. The lioness appears to be climbing or perhaps descending the column, frozen forever in her upward journey, her muscular form rendered with the characteristic simplicity and power of medieval stonework. Notice how the sculptor captured her determined expression and the fluid lines of her body, despite working with the hard local stone that has weathered nearly nine hundred years of Mediterranean seasons. The legend surrounding your ritual kiss of the lioness's posterior is delightfully mysterious in its origins.